Flash-light apparatus.



No. 673,474. Patented May 7, |90l.

. S. S. PINGREE.

FLASH LIGHT APPARATUS.

(Application led Dec. 10` 1900.; No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet L No. 673,474. Patented May 7, |90I.v Y

S. S. PINGBEE,

FLASH LIGHT APPARATUS.

(Application led Dec. 10. 1900,

l?? 121:13? ,iltla nml-ILL m No I'Iodql.)

2 Sheets*$heet 2.

Ttlls.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL S. PINGREE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOIIRI.

FLASH-LIGHT APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 673,474, dated May 7', 1901.

` Application filed December l0, 1900. Serial No. 39,330. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. PINGREE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flash Light Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use .the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating my improved electrical dash-light appa- Fig. 2 is a detailview showing one of the standards and the powder-shelves in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating a portion of one of the powder-shelves and one manner of introducing the fuse thereon. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the shelf, showing the manner of, mounting the same upon the standard. Fig. 5 is a detail view cfa portion of another form of shelf. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through a shelf, showing a modied form of arranging the fuse thereon. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one form of fuse used in connection with my invention. Fig. 8 is a detail view of another form of fuse used in connection with my invention, and Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of igniting dash-light powders 'arranged at different points and simultaneously operating the shutter of a camera.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvementin apparatus for the instantanef ous ignition of an unlimited quantity of eX- plosive flash-light powder. It is especially designed for the use of photographers, one object being to providea simple and inexpenf` sive apparatus of thecharacter described wherein fuses may be arranged at as many different points as desired, any number being employed, said fuses being blown or burst simultaneously by an ordinary electric-light system,such as is com monly used in buildings, so that the blowing of the fuse will disturb the powder, throwinga portion of it into the air, and at the saine time igniting the powder.

Another object is' to'control the shutter of the camera, which will be operated simultaneously with the ignition of the Hash-light` powder.

With these objects in View the invention consists in the arrangement, construction,

and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described, and afterward pointed out in the claims.

Inl the drawings I have illustrated my invention as used in connection with a simple form of apparatus, wherein A indicates a tripod carrying a standard B, and on the standard are arranged any number of powder-shelves C. These powder-shelves may have a body of wood or other non-conducting material faced with asbestos for receiving the powder to be ignited.

D indicates a clamp by which the shelf may be vertically adjusted on the standard B.

E and F indicate electrical conductors,`

(shown as strips of metal forming marginal fianges for the shelf,') said strips providing mounts for the fuses G. As shown in Fig. 3, these strips may be provided with curved slots for receiving the fuses, or said fuses may be introduced under springs I-I, as shown in Fig. 5, or as shown in Fig. 'the fuses may be bent into position, so as to exert pressure by the resiliency thereof to make the proper electrical contact. In any. event the object is to bridge the strips E and F by the fuses, so as torprovide an electrical connection between said strips through the fuses.

As shown in Fig. 7, the fuse consists of a strip of paper or other insulation material I, forming a backing for the platinum or other wire fuse i, which wire fuse extends longitudinally the paper or other insulation strip and is fastened at the ends with copper or other electrical conducting material i', which is bent and clamped near the ends of the fuse, so that when the fuse is placed in posi` tion the current in the strips E or F passing through the fuse makes electrical connection therewith through these contact devices i.

As shown in Fig. 8, the fuse is made up of twisted or braided fabric or other suitable substance J, serving as a backing for the platinum or other fuse-Wire j, metallic clips being arranged upon the continuous fuse at intervals, whereby said clips may be insert-cd so as to be in electrical contact with the strips IOO E and F and then the continuous fuse severed, vso as to leave a portion bridging the strips.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 6, the fuse is placed in position and the flash-light powder K piled thereon, there being as many fuses arranged on the shelf as desired, and likewise as many piles of powder, .or the pow- 'der may be laid in a train and fuses buried at diierent points along the train. I

Where there are two or more shelves on a standard, all of thel strips F are electrically connected, the strips E being electrically connected by the standard Bor with each other by-wire.

Referring now to Fig. l, 1 indicates an or-- dinary plug introduced Vin-to a lamp-socket, and 2 the feed-wireconuected to 'one of the strips F, which, as before stated, is in electrical connection with the other strips F of the other shelves on the standard. The fuse bridgf ing the strips F and E and the strips E being in .electrical connection,a return-wire 3 is carried either from the standard B or from the strips ,-Eto a push-button or other contact making. and breaking device 4, a return-wire 5 lead-v ing from said push-button or other contact making and breaking device back to the plug 1. When the f use or fuses are in position and"y the'powder piled thereon, it is only necessary to pushthebutton of the contact making andi breaking device 4, when a current will be inv stantly established through all of the fuses,l

i ss

which will burst them, and the explosion of the fuses will throw some of the flash-light powder into the air, at the same time ignitiug it. It makes no difference how many piles otA powder there are nor how Amany vfuses are employed, all the fuseswill burst simultaneously, as before described, no matter at what distance from each other these fuses may be.

. Assuming now that another series of shelves are employed at some other place, wire 6, leading from wire 2 to the stripsF of the other shelves, will conduct the current through the fuse arranged between the strips F of such other shelves through lthe strips E thereof,

" standards B, by direct wire from E to plug 1,

Vand through wire 7 back to the plug 1. Thus it will beseen that no -matterhow many shelves are em ployed,irrespective of the nurnvber of fuses and piles of powder to be ignited and independently of the position of or distance between such shelves, all the flash-light powder will be ignited at the same instant,

. thus enabling a photographer to obtain results and effects which heretofore were impossible. The advantages of being able to si- I multaneously and instantaneously operate of flash-ltgllt powder, irrespective of its posi-l l with the shutter of the camera any quantity tion or distance from said camera,puts a power` in the control of the photographer which is of inestimable value. This is of special advantage in taking interior pictures with moving objects, such as stage-settings in a theater, as the shelves containing the dash-light powder can be arranged in the wings on each side and behind the camera, so'that the instant the push-button is pressed to establish a current the fuses will burst and all of the piles of powder will be ignited instantaneously.

IWhere the light is thus controllable, it is obyblocks back to plug l.' "This cylinder has connected to it alexible tube 12, in the length of which is arranged a bulb 18, said' bulb being also connected by a flexible tube 14 to the usual shutter-operating vmechanism 15, .ar-

Suitable springs may'k ranged on a camera. be connected with the vpneumatically-operated plunger-s to return them to their normal positions when the bulb is relieved of pressure. This is desirable in that in photographing withthe aid'of Hash-powders, particularly in the daytime, itA is necessary to throw the shutter the Asaine instant that the powder is ignited.v 1f desired, the plunger 10 may 'have a spring arranged in. advance `th'ereot` of sufiicient strength to retard its action slightly in order that the shutter wiil be opened in advance of the ignition of the dash-light pow-- ders. tween the opening of the shutter and the Hash- Of course the dilerencenin time being of the powders is very slight, the principal object being to lhave/the shutterlully` openwhen the powders are ignited.

` `While I have described a construction as being operated from an electric-light system,

it is obvious that the electric current used' can be taken `from other sources, such as a storagey battery or a battery of cells. state, however, that it is essential that the current be strong enough to burst the fuse, as a current having only strength sucient to heat the fuse will not instantaneously ignitel the powder,there being a hesitation between the pushing of the button and the flash of the powder.

I am aware that ,minor changes in the arrangement, construction, and combination of These I will- IOO the several' parts of my device canbe made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thusfdescribed my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support for the powder to beignited, of electrical terminals arranged on opposite edges ot' said suploA ` port, and a fuse in electrical connection with said terminals and traversing said support,

whereby,when a circuit is established through said fuse, it will burst and the powder will be ignited directly therefrom; substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support fory the powder, of electric terminals arranged on opposite edges of said support, a fuse coperating with said terminals and electrically connecting the same, said fuse traversing saidy support and arranged in proximity thereto, an electric circuit, and a switch in said circuit; substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character deburst, throw a part of the powder into the air, and directly and simultaneously ignite the same; substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support for the powder, of terminals arranged on opposite edges of said support,wires leading to and from said terminals, a switch in one of said wires, a fuse electrically connecting said terminals and buried in the powder to be ig-4 nited, said fuse traversing said support and being arranged in` close proximity thereto, an electric circuit,` a cylinder and piston controlled by air-pressure which operates said switch, and a flexible tube and bulb coperating with said cylinder, whereby, when the bulb is pressed, the piston is moved forward to close the circuit through the wires for blowing the fuse and directly igniting the powder; su bstantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support for the powder to be ignited, of electric terminals arranged on opposite edges of said support, a fuse coperating with said terminals,.said fuse bridging the support and lying in close proximity thereto, wires leading to and from said terminals respectively, an electric circuit,a pneumatically-operated switch for controlling the current in said circuit, a bulb and tube to operate said switch, which bulb is also vin connection with the tube which by airpressure controls -the shutter of a camera; substantially as described.

In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of supports for the powder to be ignited, of electrical terminals arranged in juxtaposition to said supports, fuses coperating with said terminals, said fuses traversing the supports and lying in close proximity thereto, plugblocks, wires connecting said plug-blocks with said terminals,a pneumatically-operated switch for controlling the current in all of said plug-blocks, a bulb and tube yfor operating said switch, and a shutter-plunger which is also operated by said bulb; substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a plurality of supports for the powder to be ignited, of terminals arranged in juxtaposition to said supports,fuses, plug-blocks connected to said terminals by wi res, said plug-blocks coperating with each other to establish electrical connection with all of said terminals from a single source of supply, and a pnenmatically-operated switch for controlling the current in said plug-blocks; substantially as described.

8. The combination with a shelf, of contin nous electrical conducting-strips arranged along opposite edges thereof, said strips being provided with means for receiving fuses, and a plurality of fuses which coperate with said strips, said fuses traversing the shelf and lying in close proximity thereto; substantially as described. u

9. The combination with a shelf, of continuous electrical conducting-strips arranged along opposite edges thereof and provided with means for receiving fuses, a plurality of fuses which coperate with said strips, said fuses traversing the shelf and lying in close proximity thereto, and an electric circuit in which all of said strips and their conductingfuses are included, whereby, when acnrrent is established through the fuses, they will be blown simultaneously; substantially as described.

10. In an apparatus of the character de -V scribed, the combination with a support in the form of a shelf, of metallic strips arranged along opposite edges of said support and extending thereabove, a plurality of fuses in electrical contact with said strips, said fuses consisting of a body portion of insulation material having metallic clips at their ends, and fuse-wires in electrical connection with said clips, said fusewires traversing the support between the metallic strips, and lying in close proximity to the support; substantially as described.

ll. The combination with a metallic standard, of a shelf, an electrical conducting-strip secured to said shelf and in electrical contact with said standard, an electrical conductingstrip on the opposite edge of the shelf, a'fuse in electrical contact with said strips, said fuse traversing the shelf and lying in close proximity thereto, and'electrical conducting-wires leading to and from said electrical conducting-strips on opposite sides of the fuse; substantially as described.

12. The combination with a source of supply of an electric current, of one or more insulation-s upports for flash-light powder, elec` trical conducting-strips arranged on opposite edges of said supports, fuses in electrical con- IOO IIO

tact with said strips, said fuses traversing the said supports, fuses between said terminals,

Wires leading from said terminals to ya plug, and terminals on'the switch for coperating with said plug, whereby the operation of the switch will send a current through all of thev fuses; substantially as described.

14. The combination with the source of supply of an electric current, of a support for' flash-powder, terminals arranged on said slip;

port, a fuse between said terminals, a pneu- 'maticallyaoperated switch for controlling the current, a shutter operated coincidently with lthe switch, and means connected with the; switch for retarding its action or causing it to lag slightly behind the operation of the shutter-'working mechanism; substantially as def scribed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my.

signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 6th day ofDecember, 1900. A'

SAMUEL S. PINGREE.

l Witnesses:

WM. H. SCOTT, A. S. GRAY. 

